Consigned to success

Rhonda Mayers learned some valuable lessons during the first year operating her resale shop Trendy Teens, including the importance of having the right merchandise at the right time. She also adjusted her hours, listened to her customers and invested more in advertising.

There's the painting at the register, swirls of fluorescent paint courtesy of her children.

By the dressing room, there's a new favorite display that screams winter with a mix of flannel, denim, sweaters and boots.

And throughout the store are racks of clothing, neatly organized by type, size and color.

"People say, 'Ew, a consignment store,' but they have no idea what's in here," Mayers said.

As Trendy Teens enters its second year, Mayers is on her way to her goal of breaking even by the middle of the year. She started her business in November 2011 as a way to leave a not-perfect retail job and be her own boss. She focused on name-brand teen clothing after seeing parents balk at high-cost brands that often piled up, unworn, at home. Consignors receive a percentage when the items sell.

So with a $15,000 budget to start, she rented a store in Exeter Township along Perkiomen Avenue, painted the walls with bright colors and started accepting clothing from consignors.

This is the fourth and final article chronicling Mayers' first year of business.

Through the year, she's learned how to say no to consignors and select the right brand names and sizes local teens want.

"In the beginning, I was getting more clothing in than what was selling, and it's starting to turn better, where I'm starting to see new faces and new people," she said. "I'm starting to sell a little bit more than I was. It still needs to improve big time, but hopefully I'll be out of the hole by midyear."

Being more selective about what she buys is a good move, said Britt Beemer, owner/founder and retail analyst at America's Research Group in Charleston, S.C. Resale retailers also need to put out new merchandise so customers will return often to see what's fresh.

"If you've got the right stuff, people will come back," he said.

Changing merchandising displays, like Mayers' new favorite, can inspire customers to buy more as well, Beemer said.

This is a good time for resale shops, which saw a 12 percent increase in year-to-year sales, compared with just a 2 percent increase for overall retail shops, he said.

Cost-conscious customers looking to maximize their money are fueling the growth.

For resale businesses to survive past the first year, owners need to have the right merchandise and focus on organization to make it easy for customers to shop in the store.

Mayers has followed that advice. After the holidays, she put out "50 percent off" signs as a way to move the winter merchandise.

She's also listened to her customers and started stocking more male teen clothing, plus clothing for parents and children.

Looking back, Mayers said she would have advertised more for her grand opening and distributed fliers.

She advises other new business owners to stay positive, even in tough times. Also, don't be afraid to spend money to advertise. Mayers bought ads in local publications and sponsored a Trendy Teens Little League baseball team.

Advertising, marketing and social media are great ways for people to get to know a business, said Adele Meyer, executive director of The Association of Resale Professionals.

Mayers also cut back her nighttime hours and changed how she pays consignors. Printing and mailing the monthly checks once took eight days. Now, she asks Exeter consignors to pick up their checks at the beginning of the month. Checks are mailed to those who live elsewhere. The move saves money and a lot of time.

While she's still waiting to turn a profit, Mayers survived her first year as a new business owner.

"Most of the time, I'm pretty happy that I did what I did, even though it was scary as all get-out," she said. "I was making half-decent money and had vacation and personal time. But now, I can make my own decisions and I don't have someone making them for me."